Nehemiah 2:1 (KJV)
And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.
Having been captive in Babylon for over seventy years, through numerous rulers, and even through one conquest by a foreign empire, it is telling that Nehemiah worked in the king's palace, that he was so trusted, and—to my point—that he had never been sad in the king's presence.
- I suppose that doesn't mean he had never been sad. He could simply have concealed it from the king before this time.
- I also suppose one could give this a more negative interpretation by saying that Nehemiah was happy in this foreign land, had settled into its way of life and culture, and had abandoned his God.
If we take that view, then I can see in Nehemiah a man whose spirit was awakened by the news from Jerusalem. Revival broke out within him. There is always hope that such a thing will take place in a person's soul.
But I want to consider this from a different point of view. Nehemiah, it seems to me, did have a spiritual concern, as evidenced by the fact that he inquired about how things were going in Jerusalem. He does not appear to be a worldly man. Rather, he is a man whose spirit is willing to serve where God has placed him. He does not allow his circumstances to drive him to constant sadness.
This doesn't mean he never became concerned, sad, or burdened. Obviously, he was capable of those emotions, as our text demonstrates. They simply were not his normal demeanor.
I look at the world in which we live and see many reasons to be burdened. There are things that could easily overwhelm us with sadness. But that is not to be the normal state of the saved, and it doesn't have to be. There are things that drive people to unhappiness, but we ought not settle there.
- We can fight for joy.
- We can do something about our burden.
I notice Nehemiah prayed—and then prayed again. I notice he asked for, and received, permission to go and make a difference. It may be that we, too, can change our surroundings as he did. But even if we can't (for changing locations alone won't change a person's joy), we can still take steps toward a changed heart.
- Seek the Lord and ask Him what needs to change in you.
- Speak with others and discover how you might help improve the situation.
- Survey the circumstances and devise a plan to begin working.
- Don't quit until God moves you.
I imagine that a burdened soul will always experience burdens. But a burdened soul does not have to live in sadness, nor should it settle for such a state.
#FightForJoy #Nehemiah #TrustGod #ServeWhereYouAre #BiblicalEncouragement
Was Nehemiah Ever Sad? The Secret Every Christian Needs
Has God ever used a burden to lead you into something better? I'd love to hear your experience in the comments.
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